12-14-2005

選舉前夕伊拉克平靜 (Iraq Quiet on Election Eve)

在具有歷史意義的伊拉克議會選舉到來之際，伊拉剋星期三絕大部份城市平安無事。伊拉克人希望這次選舉會給他們的國家帶來安全和穩定。

作為從星期二開始的全國5天假日的一部份，學校和商店都已經關閉。作為嚴格的安全措施的一部份，伊拉克的邊境被關閉，汽車被禁止上街通行。

塔拉巴尼總統呼籲伊拉克人投票。他說，選民投票率高將會給新政府帶來打敗恐怖分子所需要的合法性。

Iraq's cities are mostly quiet Wednesday, on the eve of landmark parliamentary elections Iraqis hope will bring security and stability to their country.

Schools and businesses are closed as part of a five-day long national holiday that began Tuesday. The country's borders are closed and vehicle traffic is banned from the streets as part of strict security measures.

President Jalal Talabani urged Iraqis to vote, saying a strong turnout would give the new government the legitimacy it needs to defeat terrorists.

世貿會談代表辯論農產品補貼 (WTO Trade Delegates Debate Farm Subsidies)

造成世界貿易組織149個成員嚴重分歧的政府向農民提供補貼的棘手問題仍然是香港世貿會談的爭議焦點。在世貿會談的第二天，與會代表繼續談判，而警察和抗議者在附近發生衝突。

美國參加世貿會議的最高代表、貿易代表波特曼星期三呼籲歐盟在農產品補貼問題上打破僵局，以便最後敲定全球貿易協定。

但是歐盟貿易專員曼德爾森後來對世貿代表說，如果與會代表繼續一心關注農產品補貼糾紛，本星期的世貿會談只能以失敗收場。

歐盟由於拒絕降低政府給歐盟國家農民的補貼一直受到其他世貿成員的尖銳批評。

Government subsidies to farmers, the contentious issue that divides the World Trade Organization's 149 member nations, remains at the forefront of the WTO meeting in Hong Kong, where talks are continuing for a second day while police and protesters battle nearby.

The United States' top representative at the WTO meeting, Rob Portman, called on the European Union Wednesday to break the deadlock on agricultural subsidies in order to finalize a global trade pact.

Speaking later, however, EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson told WTO delegates this week's meeting will fail if they continue to focus solely on the dispute over subsidies.

The European Union has been sharply criticized by other WTO members for refusing to lower its payments to farmers.